✦✦✦Extra — A Chat with the Hunted✦✦✦

After being safely set free from their mission, the male knights had a consolation party for themselves in a local pub.

“The ladies’ ‘requests’ aren’t ‘requests’ at all.”

“They’re ‘coercion.’”

“They talk like they’re sticking hearts and stars on the ends of their sentences, but the smile never reaches their eyes.”

“They looked deadly serious.” They thought of the Bombshell Trio’s expressions back when they’d explained the mission.

“We’ll leave the Pommier stakeout to you♡ (Just try to fail. You won’t make it out alive.)” they’d said, bright smiles on their beautiful faces, but unfortunately, their eyes... They were gleaming like sharpened blades.

All the gathered (hunted?) men could do was huddle together, nodding frantically under the ladies’ intensity. Just remembering it drained the blood from their faces.

“You can’t just slam hearts and stars on your words and think that makes everything...”

“Back then, I know I heard all the things they left unsaid.”

“That was just your imagination! You’re just exhausted! Forget all about it!”

“Y-yeah, you’re right! Hahaha!” Lantana laughed dryly before chugging his mug of beer.

“But no one can refuse them. You’d be a hero if you could.”

“I know.”

“I value my life.”

“Me too.”

“I’d rather just agree to their ‘requests’ than endure the hellish hazing you’d get for refusing.”

“Right!?”

Their dry laughs echoed into the night as the men all drank themselves silly.